Director of Social Services

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES

The Director of Social Services supervises the Social Services Department in relation to the facility's policies, procedures, and needs, as well as State and Federal regulations and in accordance with accepted standards of professional practice.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must have Bachelor's Degree in Social Work or some related field,
• Must have four years Long Term Care social work experience.
• Must be able to work well with disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and at times hostile people in the community.
• Must possess excellent customer service skills in dealing with residents, staff, community agencies, and all contacts with the facility.
• Must be professionally motivated and ethically focused according to social work standards and practice.
• Must have ability to establish a good working rapport with other staff, resident, families, community agency representatives, and the general public.
• Must have knowledge of community resources.
• Must have ability to plan, direct, evaluates and manage the work of subordinates and to provide assistance and guidance for the purpose of staff growth and development.
• Must have ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with individuals on all levels.

• Must have ability to exercise sound judgment in interpreting and implementing policies.

• Employment is contingent on successful completion of a pre-employment screening and criminal background checks as well as Exclusion Sanction Checks both indicating negative results.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with all other disciplines cooperatively in the planning and provision of social services as appropriate.
• Direct, supervise, and coordinate all work responsibilities of the social service department.
• Hire, terminate, provide performance evaluations and disciplines to subordinate social workers
• Plan and direct staff meetings for communication, training, and education. Provide coverage on units in the absence of social service staff.
• Assist in the education and in servicing of all staff in relation to resident rights and mood and behavior issues.
• Develop and implement facility wide Behavior Management Program. Act as the Facility Liaison with contracted Hospice and Home Health providers.
• Facilitate and supervise provision of support groups to meet resident and family needs.
• Prepare monthly social services reports and staffing schedules. Review and revise the departmental policies and procedures annually.
• Assist with Resident Council as resident's request.
• Conduct quality assurance audits, prepare reports, and attend facility QA meeting as directed.
• Develop a network of discharge planning resources, and actively monitor and assist caseworker in discharge planning efforts.
• Act as liaison with Area Agency on Aging in relation to the needs of our residents with protective services, ombudsman program, and nursing home transition program.
• Provide community relations services as appropriate.
• Maintain and enforce department and facility procedures, fire prevention and safety standards.
• Attend appropriate in-services and seminars, and supervisory meetings.
• Act as a liaison between transferring institution and the facility, maintaining good relationships with other community agencies.
• Approve applicants for admission to the facility based upon admission criteria.
• Provide informed tour of the facility and services available to the prospective resident/ family. Must accommodate walk in tours.
• Commitment to facility's mission, policies, and procedures.
• Must be an active participant in the facility's Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement (QAPI) program and Performance Improvement Project (PIP) and carry out roles and responsibilities as assigned. Must identify opportunities for improvement, lead PIP projects and provide education and coaching in order to build the needed skills in others to lead PIP's. Participate in multidisciplinary activities and collaborate with the committee to prioritize and develop QAPI efforts. Must also report potential or actual non-compliance issues to the facility's QAPI committee.
• Perform other reasonable duties as assigned by supervisor.